Ignition apparatus



April 23, 1957 D. c. REDICK ET AL 2,790,020

IGNITION APPARATUS Filed Dec. 4. 1955 INVENTORS David C. Redick and BY Verle E. McCarty I Their Attorney United States Patent IGNITION APPARATUS David C. Redick and Verle E. McCarty, Anderson, Ind., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application December 4, 1953, Serial No. 396,242

4 Claims. (Cl. 123-148) This invention relates to improvements in ignition appanatus having a distributor rotor.

An object of the present invention is to provide cerand also having a relatively smaller area radially disposed leading therefirom to a central contact point.

Further objects and advantages of the present inven- -tion will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sec- :tional view of an ignition timer distributor unit having a rotor block embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the rotor block;

Figure 3 is a plan view of metal insert means associated with the rotor block;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 3.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, there is illustrated an ignition distributor whose stationary parts are of conventional form. The distributor includes a cap 21 formed of insulating material such as bakelite or other appropriate non-conductive material and having a lower housing 22. The cap 21 is removably attached to the housing 22 by clips C, only one of which is shown in Fig. 1. The cap carries a central terminal 23 and a plurality of distributor posts 24 which are equally spaced circumferentially.

The cap 21 houses a body or rotor 25 that is constructed in accordance with the invention. The body or rotor 25 is adapted for removable mounting on an end of a cam member 26 in conventional manner. The rotor has an extension 27 having a recess 28 formed with a lug 29 therein. When the extension 27 is fitted over an extension 30 of the cam 26, a slot provided by the extension of cam 26 drivingly receives the lug 29, as shown in Fig. 1. The rotor is also formed with spaced mutually extending ribs 31, a bOSs 32 between the ribs, and a recess or channel 33 on the upper face of the rotor. Before molding the rotor in its final form, a metal insert or sparkgap electrode 35 is placed in the mold cavity so that one end will extend beyond the periphery of the body 25 and the other end will be exposed in the channel 33.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the insert or electrode 35 comprises a flat portion 36 having an aperture 37 and a leg 38 bent at an angle relative to the plane of the tlat flat portion 36. The flat portion in this instance is deformed about a portion of the opening 37 to form a shoulder or ledge 39. When the insert 35 is molded with the body, a portion 40 of the body extends into the opening 37 and overlies the ledge 39 to anchor the insert thereto. It will be noted that there is provided a space 41 between the periphery of the body and a cross-bar 42. By this construction and arrangement of insert 35 there is provided a large contact surface 43 which sweeps past terminal posts 24 and which because of the extension of cross bar 42 beyond the body of the rotor considerably reduces the burning or otherwise deteriorating of the insulated body portions \of the rotor adjacent the insert 35 which pass adjacent to the terminal posts 24.

The large contact surface 43 ordinarily would necessitare an insert which has a large metal surface having a projected area. without the opening 37 as clearly seen in Figure 3. This large area of metal ordinarily would act as a large antenna surf-ace from which a large amount of electrical emissions would emanate. These emissions would seriously interfere with radio reception. The insert 35 according to the present invention retains the large contact surface 43 and by having its central portion formed as an opening 37, the projected area as in Figure 3, is decreased and the interference to surrounding radio equipment is considerably reduced as the quantity of emissions will depend upon the total projected area of the metal of the insert.

As mentioned heretofore, the rotor is formed with mutually spaced ribs 31, a boss 32, and a channel 33. This makes provisions for supporting a leaf spring 45 and a resistance element 46. The leaf spring 45 comprises a single strip of conducting material. The leaf spring 45 is bent upon itself to provide a relatively stiff arm 47 and a resilient arm 48. The arm 47 is provided with resilient transverse tongues 49 and the transverse dimension of the arm 47 at the points including the tongues is greater than the space between the ribs 31. The arm 47 is provided with a resilient car 50. The arm 47 has an opening to receive the boss 32 to locate properly arm 47 between the ribs. When the arm 47 is assembled with the rotor 25, it is forced between the ribs 31 to assemble the leaf spring with the rotor, causing the tongues 49 to bite into the wallsof the ribs 31 to lock the arm 47 against axial movement relative to the rotor 25. When the leaf spring is assembled with the rotor, the ear 50 will extend into the channel. After the arm is assembled with the rotor 25, the resistance element 46 is forced into the channel 33 between the lug 38 and the resilient ear 50 so that the leaf spring is electrically connected to the insert 35. Before the resistance element is assembled in the bottom, the channel is coated with a suitable cement. The resilient arm 48 is adapted to engage a central button 51 provided by a central terminal 23 anchored in the cap 21.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A contact electrode in a rotor of insulating material for a distributor comprising; a unitary metal part having a main body portion with a rectilinear central opening, carried on said rotor so a portion only of said opening and part extends beyond the periphery of said rotor, a ledge in said body portion extending around the periphery I of the remaining portion of said opening embedded in the insulating material of said rotor and an integral tang extending at right angles from said body into a recess in said rotor, said ledge and tang being located on said part remotely from the portions which extend beyond the periphery of said rotor for holding said part in position on said rotor.

2. A rotor and a contact electrode on said rotor for use in a distributor wherein the rotor comprises a body of insulating material having a recess and an upstanding lug portion along one surface and the contact electrode comprises; a unitary metal part having a body portion with a rectilinear opening therein, a contact portion on said body portion consisting of a side of said part which surrounds said opening, a ledge in said body surrounding a portion only of said opening, said ledge being embedded in the material of the rotor forming said lug with the remainder of said opening and said contact portion extending beyond the periphery of said rotor, and an in togral tang extending at right angles from said body portion and receivable in said recess, said tang and ledge being arranged for maintaining said electrode in position on said rotor with the contact portion thereof in spaced relation to said rotor.

3. A rotor assembly for use in a distributor including a body of insulating material having a recess and a lug on one surface with the lug located adjacent an edge of the body, and a unitary metal electrode having a rectilinear opening embracing a portion of said lug, said electrode comprising; a contact portion which includes a portion of said opening and the metal. of said electrode which surrounds the portion of said opening, a securing portion which includes the remaining portion of said opening and the remaining portion of the electrode which surrounds the remainder of said opening, a ledge in said remaining portion of said electrode surrounding said remaining portion of said opening, said ledge being embedded in the material of said body which forms said lug for holding said contact portion in spaced relation to said edge and beyond the periphery of said body, and a tang integrally attached at right angles to the securing portion, and extending into said recess to provide an electrical connection with other electrical parts of the distributor.

4. A rotor assembly for use in a distributor including; a body of insulating material having a lug on one surface located adjacent an edge of the body and 'a unitary metal part having a rectilinear opening surrounding said lug, said part having; a contact portion including a side of said part and a portion of said opening extending beyond the periphery of said rotor body and a securing portion including another side of the part and the remaining portion of the opening, a ledge in the securing portion of said part surrounding the remaining portion of said opening, said ledge being embedded in the material of the body which forms said lug for maintaining said contact portion in spaced relation to said edge and beyond the periphery of said body at said edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,372,065 Conklin Mar. 22, l92l 1,641,370 Berkdoll Sept. 6, 1927 2,163,055 Olson June 20, 1939 2,509,094 Fitzsimmons May 23, 1950 .1 2,593,205 Short et a1. Apr. 15, 1952 2,678,365 Bales May 11, 1954 

